1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to liver disease, and more particularly to the field of liver cirrhosis. The present disclosure relates to the use of molecules useful for the manufacture of a medicament for treating liver cirrhosis.
2. Description of Related Art
It is well known that liver is an organ having an extremely high ability of regenerating itself. However, in a case of chronic hepatic disease, liver undergo fibrosis during the regeneration process after continuous necrosis of hepatocytes, resulting in the suppression of normal hepatocyte regeneration. This may be due to an increase in extracellular matrix secreted by the activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) that involves in hepatic fibrosis. When HSCs are activated, they express α-smooth muscle actin and acquire smooth muscle property, whereby transforming themselves into myofibroblast-like cells.
Accordingly, if an agent or a molecule may inactivate HSCs, and/or revive liver regeneration process in patients having chronic cirrhosis condition, such agent or molecule represents a potential lead compound for the development of a medicament for treating liver cirrhosis.